Accommodation options Glasgow - which is safest location?

I can’t advise you about the locations, but your question may get more visibility in the Scotland forum. I hope you have a great trip.

Karen, I would go with the Aparthotel Adagio. The location is good (it sits right on the water), it has very good reviews, and it's really closer to where everything is than the apartment on Rose Street. And as far as safety, really I can't think of any area in Glasgow that is unsafe, but that's certainly a very safe location. I've heard some talk among locals that the area around the train station is a bit sketchy in the evening, but I actually stayed near there when I was there 3 years ago and didn't have any problems at all (I'm an older female and was traveling solo).

Really, I don't think you can go wrong with the Aparthotel Adagio. That said, I don't think there's anything really wrong and given that it's an apartment, you just never know. But it is farther out so you'd be doing more walking there, especially to and from the train station (although there are buses).

If it were me, I would just book with the Aparthotel, especially since you already like it.

Edit: I forgot to add that it's also just a 7-minute walk from the train station, which is very handy for day trips. One day trip I highly recommend is to the town of Stirling and Stirling Castle.

I just had a look and Aparthotel Adagio is in a good location. It's right next to St Enoch's Square, a central square in Glasgow with an Underground (train) station, and the St Enoch's Centre, a medium sized shopping mall. [edit: I can't believe I called it the Underground. It is of course the Subway in Glasgow.] I was last in The St Enoch's Centre for a buffet dinner at Cosmo a couple of years ago. It's right around the corner from Rub-A-Dub Records, the best record shop and music equipment store in town. Both The Citizens Theatre and The Tron Theatre are within a short walk of there.

Down at the river, the Clyde Walkway can be a bit of a draw for homeless people, but I'd still walk there. It's probably theoretically sketchy, but I never had any problem when I worked just down the road half a mile.

Rose Street is cool too. I like Garnethill. It came up recently when we were talking about Garnet Hill pants. You're handier for Sauchiehall Street up there and more convenient for the delights of the west end, either on foot or on the Underground from Cowcaddens. You have to take into account some streets in Garnethill are very steep, though maybe not that bit of Rose Street. Rose Street is the home of The GFT, arguably Scotland's premier art-house cinema. The CCA (Centre for Contemporary Arts) is right around there too.

Thanks for the responses, Andrea, Mardee and GerryM.

As it has turned out, the rooms I'd hoped to book in the Aparthotel Adagio were not available when I checked back this morning. However, I was able to book us into the Riverview Apartments on Maxwell Street, which is in a similar location. These apartments also get good reviews and are both more spacious and have more amenities than the apartment we originally booked on Rose Street. I didn't like canceling the latter, but with my current mobility issues I needed somewhere with an elevator and easy access to public transportation.

However, I was able to book us into the Riverview Apartments on Maxwell Street, which is in a similar location.

Good. It is right in the same neighbourhood. Some of the hills around Rose Street are like San Francisco. It's not the easiest neighbourhood to walk.

My mention of Rub-A-Dub is maybe extraneous to your interests, but I'd bet that there's decent folk behind the counter whatever day who'd be happy to have a conversation since you're in their neighbourhood.

The Clyde Walkway is fine, at least in the day. There's an attractive old pedestrian bridge over The Clyde at Clyde Street. The Clyde Walkway is particularly an important cycling route these days, more so than when I was around Glasgow.

It's a decent bit of Glasgow to stay that puts you in touch with the city centre. If you want to visit the Museum at Kelvingrove, it's a quick and easy ride from St Enoch's Subway Station to Kelvinhall, with 100 yards or so to walk.

Good luck with the planning and visit!

Thanks again, GerryM.

Now that accommodations are settled, I think our planning is mostly finished. We're staying 9 nights in Glasgow to thoroughly explore the city, with an additional 2 escorted day trips - one to the Highlands (including viewing the Glenfinnan Viaduct since my friend is a big Harry Potter fan) and another north of Glasgow to explore standing stones and several castles. We may also take the train into Edinburgh one day if my walking holds up ok.

We also plan to eat at the Cosmo World Buffet at least once while we're there, so happy to read your good reviews.

It sounds like you've got it sorted.

Nine days is a good amount of time. You can get to know Glasgow quite well in that time.

Having a bit of time does let you spend a little time in the west end too. The Hillhead Subway stop brings you out on Byres Road, which is the main drag out there. I mentioned the great museum at Kelvingrove, but there's a lovely Victorian park too. I hope you get some decent weather. The slightest bit of sunshine brings everyone out in Scotland.

There's fantastic restaurants in the city centre, but nine days lets you look a bit further. Google Ashton Lane, which could make a great lunch or evening out in the west end for dinner and a drink.

Cosmo was good. I went for my Mum's birthday, but both my Mum and sister had been previously. Everything was tasty and they did a good job of keeping a nice fresh buffet. I was there on a Sunday afternoon, so it was busy, with some young families, but they have plenty of tables.

Another Glasgow idea: We really enjoyed the Charles Rennie MacIntosh house/museum, since we are into art nouveau. It's so beautiful, but I don't think there's an elevator. We had lunch at the tea room...delcious and beautiful! So you get the art nouveau experience (nice little gift shop too)